Defense Against The Darkness
by Shaun Garin
Summary: [Post KH2 HPAUverse 6th Year][Multichapter] Sixth Year was supposed to be relatively easy for all parties. Then Merlin had to go and needlessly complicate matters.
1. Lock 01 : Into Every Life, A Shadow Is

Defence Against The Darkness

Written by Shaun Garin

Harry Potter is owned and copyright JK Rowling 2006. Kingdom Hearts is owned and copyright SquareEnix 2006. Why YES I am insane, risking my sanity and status in the Guild for this. Most likely they'll flog me or love me to pieces.

* * *

Lock 1: Into Every Life, A Shadow Is Born

* * *

"You know, there's really no point to this," argued Phineas Black, holding a conversation with the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore. "You either elevate that darn fool Snape to the position he always dreamed about or keep him as the Potions Master. Simple as that."

Dumbledore heaved a giant sized sigh and he shook his head. "There is little I can do, Phineas. Slughorn has accepted the position of Potions Master and I require Severus to be the DADA Professor. My hands are tied."

"Bah," remarked Phineas. Then, the man in the painting looked at the window where an owl sat, clutching a letter. "Mail's here."

Getting out of the chair and crossing the room to where the owl sat, Dumbledore picked it out of his mouth and said, "Thank you," without really expecting a reply.

"It's about time you got this letter too," reprimanded the owl and Dumbledore fumbled the letter. "Hoo! Careful there! Merlin'll have my head if you loose that letter!"

"Good gracious, Archimedes, isn't it?" exclaimed Dumbledore, surprised, adjusting his askew moon-shaped glasses. "I have not seen you since you were a little owl!"

The owl ruffled his feathers self-importantly and he preened a little. "Well Dumbledore, I was told to give this letter to you. Merlin's a little scatter-brained at the moment but he easily sent me to this world. I'm to return in an few minutes so I'll let you know now that the barmy old coot is planning something. Read that letter and give him an answer quickly before I vanish."

No matter how much Dumbledore was happy to see the grouchy old owl, the thought of Merlin plotting something was usually an unnerving concept. "Well tell him thanks. I will read this immediately."

_Dumbledore,_

_Sources tell me that you're having a little problem here and there in jolly old England. I can't say I'm surprised for a little whippersnapper like you fighting a war with kids. Really now, I waited till Arthur was at least old enough by his time's standards of being a man before, well, that's not important._

_What's important is that Dark Lord of yours. Normally I wouldn't get involved in the world, Radiant Garden requires my attention and all, but with a heart as dark as his, it'll draw Heartless there. Which is why I'm offering the services of a remarkable young man who has been fighting his own darkness for a long time. You might remember him or not, depending on what he can do. I suspect there's a clause for War-time classes such as a magical combat class for anyone fifth year and up. Do take this into consideration will you?_

_Merlin._

_PS: Tell Archimedes that he has to make certain to pick up some chocolate before he leaves. Aerith, Tifa and Yuffie are becoming deprived of it and quite frankly, we can't get enough here._

Dumbledore folded up the letter and turned to Archimedes who was giving Fawkes a baleful stare. "Archimedes, please tell Merlin I accept his proposition and for that matter, he reminds you to pick up some chocolate before you leave. I will give you some coins for them since I'm certain Merlin has forgotten to give you some."

"Hoo, you're correct," said Archimedes as he grasped the small pouch of gold coins in his talons. "I'll be off. Expect to see Merlin here soon Dumbledore." With that, the small owl flew out of the tower, leaving Dumbledore to ponder who exactly Merlin was sending.

* * *

"No."

"C'mon Leon, it's either you or Cloud," grinned Yuffie as she tugged on Leon's arm. The man with a mane of messy brown hair remained steadfast. "Merlin's never specific about these things anyhow. Who knows, we could have grabbed a Gummi Ship and went to Destiny Islands and grabbed Riku for all we know."

"Barring the fact we don't know WHERE Destiny Islands is, and then we could have gone to all of the known worlds and grabbed one Angst-Bucket from each of them," chimed in Aerith cheerfully. Leon gave the two women a glare, something that passed over their cheerfulness like a shot off a Reflectaga.

"No," repeated Leon. "I'm not in the whole 'teach little kids how to defend themselves' mood."

"You're NEVER in the mood Squally-poo," smirked Yuffie and Leon fought the urge to snap "It's LEON". Instead, he resumed his glare.

Leaning against the wall and looking fairly amused, Cloud added, "You know, you're outnumbered here Leon. It's three to one."

"What about you then?" snorted Leon. "You're the one who is always fighting his inner darkness."

Cloud's smirk widened a little more. "Sephiroth'll get his," he said calmly.

Silently, Leon cursed Sora for giving Cloud renewed purpose for killing Sephiroth. It made him more… unmistakably open and chatty. Leon hated it when he was chatty or otherwise smirking far too much for his own sanity to take. _At least I'm not in a love triangle_ thought Leon to himself, amused.

Then again, Yuffie was being a little TOO clingy lately…

Shaking off his thoughts, he said, "Yuffie, I'm not in the mood. And couldn't have Merlin left us better information before telling us to find someone to teach these kids how to fight the darkness?"

"Aw c'mon, we have two Angst-Buckets right here!" chirped Yuffie and Leon fought the urge to palm his face at Yuffie, Aerith and Tifa ever meeting each other. The things that came out of these girls was a mite too disturbing. About as disturbing as the very odd trio of treasure hunters-slash-thieves that made themselves known as Yu-Ri-Pa.

Little floating winged girls was usually out of Leon's normal view, but he dealt with it as it came along.

Leon's thoughts were then suddenly cut off as Merlin appeared once more, looking refreshed despite his long absence from Radiant Garden. "Aaah," he said happily, "Have we decided?"

"Squall's being too stubborn," said Yuffie, pouting. "And Cloud said no."

Cloud shrugged at Merlin's questioning gaze and said, "They might string me up for being some kind of demon, with the one wing manifesting at times."

"That, and he wants to deal with his love triangle," stage-whispered Yuffie to Merlin and Aerith giggled madly. Cloud immediately felt relieved that Tifa was off helping Cid with the rebuilding and was not within earshot.

_Subject a whole school of impressionable children to Cloud and his vengeance kick… or let me handle it. _Leon sighed heavily. "All right, I'll do it."

"Who-hoo!" cheered Yuffie happily. "Did you hear that? He said he'll do it!"

Silently, Leon cursed the heavens for doing this to him. Then, an ironic thought flitted through his mind and he grinned despite himself.

_On the good note… Merlin coulda just went and woke up Vincent from sleep._


	2. Lock 02 : The League Of Moody Men

Defence Against The Darkness

Written by Shaun Garin

Harry Potter is owned and copyright JK Rowling 2006. Kingdom Hearts is owned and copyright SquareEnix 2006. Why YES I am insane, risking my sanity and status in the Guild for this. Most likely they'll flog me or love me to pieces.

* * *

Lock 02: The League Of Moody Men

* * *

"So… did Merlin simply go out and find ever moody person on the planet?" smirked Leon.

"Shut up," grumbled the teenager who sat glumly at his side. "That old kook just suddenly came out of nowhere and grabbed me, spouting some garbage about teaching kids. What about you, chicken wuss?"

"Don't call me that," grumbled Leon. "And as for that matter, who are you anyhow?"

"Hmph, don't think I should introduce myself to you, but I'm feeling gracious today." The teenager puffed up and stated, "Seifer Almasy. Head of the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee."

"In other words, the leader of a gang of baseless teenage thugs," remarked Leon and Seifer bristled angrily.

"Will you two knock it off?" asked Riku, leaning against his chair and looking slightly bored. "He hasn't done anything to you Seifer so leave him alone."

"He obviously knows the freak who dragged me here," snapped Seifer. "And you! What is this, a convention of pretty-boys?"

"Who knows," said Riku, lazily rolling his shoulders in a shrug. "If that were the case, wouldn't that have lumped you into the group as well?"

For once, Seifer was struck speechless as a soft chuckle came from the fourth member of the small cozy room. Auron, former guardian of Summoner Braska leaned against the wall, silently amused to no end from the group. "It will be needed to rest up young one," he said calmly. "Forget about fighting amidst ourselves till Merlin returns."

"Pfh," said Seifer, folding his arms and doing the best to do his impressionable scowl of doom.

"So there's one thing I can't figure out," said Riku, reaching for a cookie that was helpfully laid out with a tea set that liked to refill itself after every use. "What are YOU doing here?" he asked of Sora who was already into his fourth cookie.

Pausing in mid-bite, Sora said uncertainly, "Um, Merlin's trying to coax Roxas out into teaching instead of me?"

"That explains a lot," said Riku and the otherworlders shared a glance with each other curiously as they hadn't met Roxas.

"Name sounds familiar though," murmured Seifer.

In an attempt to derail the situation, Sora added, "Wouldn't this count as, you know, meddling too much?"

"I doubt it," replied Leon. "There's a few worlds where it could be reputed to have been Merlin's homeland. This may just be it."

"Ah," said Sora. "I guess we'll know when we get there."

"IF we get there, provided the old kook'll let us go," said Seifer, irritably. "As for me? I don't believe in magic anyhow."

"Really," said Auron and he relented to Sora's insistent offering of a cookie. Taking it, he said, "Magic can be in all sorts of forms. Not just wand waving."

"Yeah," added Sora, gesturing to his clothing. "I have it, Riku has it, Leon has it and Auron, do you have it too?"

"Some, not much but some," said Auron.

"Prove it," said Seifer. As in response, a fireball scorched the wall to the side of his head. Seifer's expression was more or less gaping, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

"Firaga, or at least a condensed form of it," said Sora, lowering the Keyblade and letting it vanish.

"Well," said Seifer finally, "I'm convinced."

The room lapsed into silence as Sora, Riku and Auron ate cookies and Leon sipped tea.

"Hey, Leon… can I see the neat sword?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll get one of my own and kick your ass with it."

"Try me."

And thus, a rivalry was born.


	3. Lock 03 : Ancient Magic

Defence Against The Darkness

Written by Shaun Garin

Harry Potter is owned and copyright JK Rowling 2006. Kingdom Hearts is owned and copyright SquareEnix 2006. Why YES I am insane, risking my sanity and status in the Guild for this. Most likely they'll flog me or love me to pieces.

* * *

Lock 03: Ancient Magic

* * *

"You know, when we were told that the Ancient Magic studies were important and required, I figured that they would be more, well, ancient," remarked Harry Potter as he and Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger headed back from their first lesson.

It had been an interesting event, to say the least. The professors, five in all were cut from various different moulds. The introduction was rather short and to say the least, slightly amusing yet unnerving.

* * *

"Okay punks, listen up. We've been dragged here by a kooky old man to teach you everything you need to know about defending yourselves. Although this course has been called Ancient Magic, I like to call it 'Seifer's Guide To Ass-Kicking 101'. Any questions?"

The Hogwarts students, unaccustomed to the rough manner shared glances before Hermione predictably raised her hand. "Yeah, you in the back," said Seifer.

"Professor, I was wondering what we were going to learn academically," said Hermione.

"I'll handle this, Seifer," said Leon and he stepped up. "We'll be learning the basics of combat, both advanced and high proficiency. Magical combat while using a weapon is vital and key to the surviving this course. The weapons we will give you are not playthings, and should be used with utmost care and respect."

"So we're going to brawl like a bunch of filthy mud bloods," sneered the pale Draco Malfoy in the back. "Figures Dumbledore would give us something like that."

"You take that back!" Sora snapped, feeling offended. "We're not whatever you called is so back off!"

"Sora," warned Riku and he raised his voice too. "Mr. Malfoy, is it? Whatever you may think or believe, your status as, what was it, a pureblood, has no bearing in a fight. If you're not aware and careful, you're dead."

The pair glared at each other for a long moment and then, Draco broke the eye contact with a HMPH.

"As such, we will split the class into two halves, learning one thing or another in a rotating schedule throughout the year," said Auron. "One half will concentrate with healing and spells of all types to exploit weaknesses. The other half will be used to learn combat. It will be near the end of the year when we test your skills with your chosen weapon. Class Dismissed."

* * *

"To most people, it is arcane or ancient," pointed out Hermione. "The strength needed to lift that huge sword Professor Auron carries almost defies normal logic."

"They're all bonkers though, especially Professor Seifer," said Ron, shaking his head. "What good will happen with this course anyhow?"

"I dunno, but I think it'll be a fairly interesting year," said Harry.


End file.
